NTSB Factual Report

On January 17, 2017, at 1030 eastern standard time, an American Legend Aircraft Company AL3, N841ML, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during takeoff from the Pierson Municipal Airport (2J8), Pierson, Florida. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed, for the personal flight operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The local flight departed Ormond Beach Municipal Airport (OMN), Ormond Beach, Florida about 1000.

According to the pilot, she flew to 2J8 to perform touch-and-go landings. Upon arrival, she overflew the airport and did not observe any traffic in the area nor hear any radio calls over the common traffic advisory frequency. The pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 5, a 2,600 foot-long, 200 foot-wide, turf runway, on a left downwind, and performed two touch-and-go landings without incident. The pilot recalled that during the third touch-and-go landing, she landed slightly farther down the runway than the first two landings, and that all three landings were within the first 25 percent of the runway length. As the airplane rolled on the runway, she added power to accelerate and the airplane suddenly nosed over like "hitting a brick wall," and came to a rest inverted. She noted there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

A witness, who was a designated pilot examiner, was sitting at a picnic table at the airport and observed the accident airplane. The witness stated that the airplane entered the traffic pattern for runway 5; however, the wind was favoring runway 23 at 5 to 10 knots. He observed the airplane complete two touch-and-go landings uneventfully. From his location about 1,500 ft away, he did not realize there had been an accident during the third touch-and-go until law enforcement arrived. He then went to the airplane to assist and observed about 500 ft of marks on the runway. The marks were initially along the runway centerline, then deviated to the left, then to the right, and then back to the left as they lead to the inverted airplane. Just prior to the wreckage, 1 to 2 ft of marks appeared to be skid marks.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. Her most recent second-class medical certificate was issued on March 2, 2015, at which time she reported 148 hours of total flight experience. During an interview, she indicated that she had about 30 hours of flight experience in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

Examination of the conventional landing gear equipped airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the rudder, vertical stabilizer, and wing struts. Flight control continuity was confirmed from each control surface to the cockpit controls. The wheel brakes functioned normally. The inspector examined the runway surface during the week following the accident, and he observed some animal burrows and holes in the turf at several locations, though not in the area of the accident. He further reported that damage to the runway in the area of the impact had been repaired prior to his examination.

DeLand Municipal Airport (DED), DeLand, Florida, was located about 14 miles southeast of 2J8. At 1035, the reported weather included wind from 190 degrees at 10 knots, scattered clouds at 2,400 feet above ground level, with 10 statute miles of visibility.